Are you better at meeting financial goals if you make them on a special day

Polls / May 26, 2015

Are you better at meeting financial goals if you make them on a special day, such as New Year or a birthday?

The overwhelming majority of respondents to the eZonomics online poll say making a financial goal on a special day, such as New Year or a birthday, doesn’t help them meet it.

Any day will do
Blow out the candles on a birthday cake and make a wish.
At the dawn of a new year, set a new goal.
These are special moments, however, these birthday wishes and New Year resolutions are famously difficult to see through.
This is perhaps why such a large share of respondents to this poll say using a special day doesn’t help when it comes to meeting their financial goals.
On the flipside, the result also suggests that “any day will do”. People don’t need to wait for a special day (or use the wait as an excuse to procrastinate).

Take small steps and have a prize
Setting financial goals at any time of the year can be a good thing – but put a plan in place to help achieve them.
An earlier eZonomics story gave five tips to help.1. Setting a goal that is achievable is a good first move2. Try breaking progress into small steps 3. Set concrete terms including a timeframe (such as saving €1200 in a year) rather than something indefinite (such as “save more”)
4. If you need extra motivation, tell friends and family about it and use peer pressure in a positive way to help keep on track5. Have a reward in mind that will be a sweetener when it’s done – an added incentive – or if you’re up for it, a price to be paid if it is not reached (such as taking out the rubbish for a month).